1974 Topps #253 John Boccabella
About John Boccabella
The Expos traded Boccabella to the San Francisco Giants for right-handed pitcher Don Carrithers on March 27, 1974, and he said he had asked them to try to get him to San Francisco. He hit .138 in 29 games for the Giants, 26 of them behind the plate. His 1974 Topps #253 still lists him with the Expos.
John Boccabella was a San Francisco native who starred at Santa Clara before signing with the Chicago Cubs out of college in 1963. A first baseman with power, he hit .365 with 30 home runs in his first pro season at Pocatello and reached the majors that September at age 22. Cubs manager Leo Durocher converted him to catcher in 1966 to back up Randy Hundley, and Boccabella spent parts of twelve seasons in the majors with the Cubs, Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants. Montreal took him in the 1968 expansion draft, and he became the Expos' primary catcher in 1973, setting career highs in games, home runs and RBIs that year, including a two-homer sixth inning at Jarry Park. He finished his career with the Giants in 1974. Known for soft hands and a quick release behind the plate, he threw out 41 percent of attempted base stealers over his career.
Sources: Wikipedia · SABR BioProject · Baseball-Reference · BaseballCardPedia
Graded population (PSA & SGC)
| Grader | Total | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1-4 | Auth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA | 196 | 5 | 89 | 90 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Graded population — a scarcity guide, not a price. Data as of 2026-10-19. Half grades fold down for both graders (8.5→8); PSA qualified slabs (OC, ST, PD, MC and the like) are not counted.
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Related cards
Team card: #508 Montreal Expos
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- #208 1973 Leading Firemen
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Frequently asked questions
What is the 1974 Topps #253 card?
It is card #253 of the 660-card 1974 Topps Baseball set, picturing John Boccabella of the Montreal Expos.
How many cards are in the 1974 Topps Baseball set?
660 cards, tracked as 678 collectible states. Numbers run from 1 to 660 with none skipped, issued all at once as a single series and printed in equal quantities; 17 cards carry catalogued print variations that the master set counts separately - fourteen San Diego / "Washington Nat'l Lea." pairs (thirteen Padres player cards and the #226 team card), the three-state #599 Rookie Pitchers, the #608 Apodaco misspelling and the #654 Jesus Alou front without a position.
Sources: Trading Card Database, PSA CardFacts, BaseballCardPedia, Cardboard Connection, Baseball Almanac, Baseball-Reference, the SABR BioProject and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, PSA & SGC population reports. Card data compiled and maintained by T206Cards.com. Page last updated 2026-10-25.